


I'm Here For You

by CadenzaRose



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angst, I am so sorry, Nightmare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-12 01:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7078645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CadenzaRose/pseuds/CadenzaRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurapika has a nightmare that shakes him more than he expected. A short one-shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Here For You

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a dream I had, actually. Which is weird, because I haven't watched any Hunter x Hunter in like a month. But there you go. That's why it has character deaths. Because apparently my subconscious wants me to suffer.

Twenty people crouched behind him while bullets rained down like mad. Kurapika spun his chains around as fast as he could, its whir fading into the clatter of bullets and shells against the ground and the rhythmic explosions of the guns. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of spiky black hair ducking out from the crowd and sprinting forward.

“Gon, no! Stay behind me!”

But he was already past, sprinting towards Chrollo, gleaming with nen.

“Jan… ken…”

But before he could finish, Chrollo raised a pistol and fired. Gon dropped to the ground to avoid the shot when a sudden impact caught him in the side of his head. He staggered to one side, dropping to his knees. Tried to rise. Couldn’t. Blood dribbled onto the floor.

Kurapika watched in horror, frozen to the spot. Gon raised a hand to his temple. It came away covered with blood and some sticky grey matter that couldn’t be what it must be. Gon looked up at Chrollo, face blank with confusion.

“But… but you missed.” Even through the clamor, Kurapika could hear every word he said. “I dodged. You missed…”

Then he slumped to the side and didn’t move. Feitan stepped forward from a shadow, blowing smoke from a pistol. Chrollo laughed.

“The boy must have thought shots only come from straight ahead. Shame,” he said, his voice silky smooth. “He had so much potential…”

Kurapika gritted his teeth. He thought about lunging forward, snaking a chain around Chrollo’s heart, pulling hard. But if he moved, all the people behind him would die. Then he heard a strangled yell, inhuman, almost animal.

“Gon!”

It was Killua.

Kurapika jolted. “Killua, no-”

But before he could say another word, Killua whirled past him, nen forgotten, assassin’s claws and teeth bared. He tore towards Chrollo, a growl deep in his throat.

“You…”

Five rapid explosions from five different guns and Killua lay dead on the floor, blood oozing from his head, neck, and a dozen smaller wounds on his chest and legs. Buckshot. Must be.

“No…” Kurapika breathed, staring at the two tiny bodies in front of him. The sound of explosions faded into a high-pitched whine. “No… no…”

He felt his eyes turning red, his vision blurring with tears. His jaw ached from clenching.

“Chrollo…” he growled.

But the man was walking away, his troupe following, fading into shadows.

“Get back here!” Kurapika yelled. He tried to move forward, but his feet were stuck to the floor. The bullet hail did not lighten.

Chrollo looked back over his shoulder for a brief second, eyes dead, unsympathetic. Nobunaga turned and sighed, shaking his head.

“Shame about those two,” he said, “good kids, good kids. But, can’t be helped.” Then he too turned and was gone.

The bullets stopped, leaving Kurapika was alone in darkness with only Gon and Killua’s bodies for company.

The floor’s grip on his feet loosened and he staggered to where their bodies lay, collapsing to his knees. He felt tears pouring down his face, felt his chest convulsing with sobs, heard as though through different ears his own choked wails.

“No…” He took Gon’s hand in his. It was cold and lifeless.

“No… no…” He touched Killua’s face. It was sticky with drying blood.

“ _No_ …”

 

He opened his eyes. They were wet with tears.

He was staring a blank ceiling with a darkened fluorescent light in its center. It was plain, but practical, just like everything else in his room.

_A dream?_

He pushed himself into a sitting position, wiping his eyes. He felt shaky. He felt sick. He swung his legs over the side of the bed. What was he doing here?

Right. He was at the Zodiac living quarters. He… he was the Rat. He had a job.

He pushed himself to his feet and swayed in place.

“Water,” he muttered, “I need…”

He staggered into the hallway, using one hand on the wall to support himself. There was a soft light coming from one of the rooms down the hall. Who would be up at this hour?

Wasn’t that Leorio’s room?

He walked slowly towards the light, growing more steady as he progressed until he almost felt safe taking his hand away from the wall. When he finally reached the room and looked in, he found Leorio, still dressed in his business attire, bent over a stack of papers at his desk. Kurapika tried to walk quietly past, but his foot caught against the edge of the door, clunking loudly. Leorio looked up at the sound. When he caught sight of Kurapika’s wan, tear-streaked face, his eyes lit up with concern.

“Kurapika!” he said, hurrying to rise. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Kurpaika shook his head. “N-nothing. Nightmare. What are you doing up?”

Leorio ignored the question and hurried over to Kurapika, taking hold of his shoulders. “What sort of nightmare? Was it the Spiders again? What did they do?”

“They… They…” But it was no use. He felt the tears rising again. He looked up into Leorio’s face. “Leorio, what am I doing?”

“What?”

“I… for revenge…” he struggled for the words. “Would I let them get hurt for my own revenge?”

“Kurapika, you aren’t making sense,” Leorio frowned. “‘They?’ You mean Gon and Killua? They can take care of themselves. They’re strong kids.”

“I know… I know, but…” He couldn’t hold the tears back anymore. He felt them running down his face, splashing onto his night shirt.

Leorio’s face softened and he pulled him into a hug. Kurapika tensed for a moment, then let himself relax. He always felt so small next to Leorio. Sometimes it annoyed him, but right now, it was warm, comfortable.

“Listen,” Leorio said. Kurapika could feel his voice rumbling in his chest. “We’re around you because we chose to be, alright? We know what we’re getting into. And we know that you won’t always be able to protect us. That’s okay. We look out for each other. That’s just what we do.”

The words must have broken some sort of dam in Kurapika’s chest because all of a sudden he was sobbing, clutching handfuls of Leorio’s shirt in his fists. Leorio smiled softly and rubbed a hand across his back.

“Shhh… shh… it’s okay,” he whispered, bending his head down so Kurapika could hear. “We’re here for you.”

Kurapika burried himself deeper in Leorio’s chest and continued to sob. Leorio smiled, then he spoke again, so softly that Kurapika almost didn’t hear.

“I’m here for you.”


End file.
